Final Four/ Championship game

[muwarrior69]

I live in New Jersey. The Start time for the championship game was 9:20. I could only watch the first half as we get up early to take our grand daughter to school. I know it won't happen, but why can't they play the final 4 on Friday night and play the Championship game Sunday evening at 7 pm eastern.

[Chicos' Buzz Scandal Countdown]

Hear hear - what's the deal with the Monday night game?

[GGGG]

Friday is an awful night for television.

[chapman]

Don't mind it being on Monday, just the very late start.  Especially with the venue and both teams being EST as well, it's weak that the game doesn't get over until almost midnight.

[MU B2002]

I live in New Jersey. The Start time for the championship game was 9:20. I could only watch the first half as we get up early to take our grand daughter to school. I know it won't happen, but why can't they play the final 4 on Friday night and play the Championship game Sunday evening at 7 pm eastern.

(My guess)
I would think they avoid Sunday games due to religious conflicts for certain member schools.  You can easily move teams for a Thursday/Saturday slot on the first two weekends, but if one of those teams were to make the Final Four, you don't have that flexibility.  

[CTWarrior]

Been working 14 hour days for 20 days straight before finally getting this past Sunday off.  Live in CT, fell asleep at halftime and woke up in the middle of "One Shining Moment".  I apparently missed a great second half.  Hate when that happens.

[GGGG]

Don't mind it being on Monday, just the very late start.  Especially with the venue and both teams being EST as well, it's weak that the game doesn't get over until almost midnight.

They don't want the game tipping at 5:30 Pacific Time.

[MerrittsMustache]

I live in New Jersey. The Start time for the championship game was 9:20. I could only watch the first half as we get up early to take our grand daughter to school. I know it won't happen, but why can't they play the final 4 on Friday night and play the Championship game Sunday evening at 7 pm eastern.

Sunday night would still be a week night. Also, the Final Four games start relatively early (6pm EST) on Saturday. Moving those games to Friday would mean one of the biggest games of the college basketball season would start on a weekday at 3pm out west. Even 5pm in the midwest would be tough for viewership. 

If a sporting event day is going to be changed, it should be the NFL moving the Super Bowl to Saturday.

[Babybluejeans]

As with anything involving the NCAA, this is about nothing more than money. Fri-Sun have traditionally been horrible nights for ratings (that has changed somewhat recently with big cable shows running on Sundays, see Mad Men, Walking Dead, HBO and Showtime's lineup). The championship has been on Mondays for a long time in order to garner ratings. Don't expect that to change.

[MU82]

They don't want the game tipping at 5:30 Pacific Time.

This.

Pacific zone TVs count in ratings, too.

And forget about it shifting from Monday. It's a sure ratings win, which means big money for the network, which paid astronomical sums for the right to televise the game where it can get the best bang for the buck.

[ATL MU Warrior]

As with anything involving the NCAA, this is about nothing more than money. Fri-Sun have traditionally been horrible nights for ratings (that has changed somewhat recently with big cable shows running on Sundays, see Mad Men, Walking Dead, HBO and Showtime's lineup). The championship has been on Mondays for a long time in order to garner ratings. Don't expect that to change.

Not true.  Sunday has the highest HUT (Households using TV) levels of the week and does good ratings historically.

[Warriors10]

Not true.  Sunday has the highest HUT (Households using TV) levels of the week and does good ratings historically.

Cool, but Fridays are awful.

They don't care if it started at 9:23 for you ESTers, you were all watching and that's all that matters to them.

[Dawson Rental]

Been working 14 hour days for 20 days straight before finally getting this past Sunday off.  Live in CT, fell asleep at halftime and woke up in the middle of "One Shining Moment".  I apparently missed a great second half.  Hate when that happens.

Accountant?  Or is Connecticut in the middle of an oil drilling boom?

[bradley center bat]

Hear hear - what's the deal with the Monday night game?

They have been doing this for longer than you been around on this planet.

[GooooMarquette]

They don't want the game tipping at 5:30 Pacific Time.

So having the east coast miss the second half is somehow better than having the west coast miss the first half?  Seems like the critical time to have people locked in is when the game is being decided.  Fail.

[MerrittsMustache]

So having the east coast miss the second half is somehow better than having the west coast miss the first half?  Seems like the critical time to have people locked in is when the game is being decided.  Fail.

The key is getting people to the TV in the first place. Casual fans are more likely to continue watching a game than they are to join a game in progress.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Friday is an awful night for television.

DING DING DING


That, and the ability to monetize two games on Saturday is the reason. Monday night has been a great sports night for television for decades.

[GGGG]

So having the east coast miss the second half is somehow better than having the west coast miss the first half?  Seems like the critical time to have people locked in is when the game is being decided.  Fail.

I'm sure you know more than TV execs who have been doing this for years.

[bradley center bat]

So having the east coast miss the second half is somehow better than having the west coast miss the first half?  Seems like the critical time to have people locked in is when the game is being decided.  Fail.

You would think that, but the east coast stays up later and the business journal said the numbers are higher later in the night. The game rating had it's highest peek at 11:30pm ET at a 17.3 rating.

[bradley center bat]

NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship game on Monday, April 8, which saw Louisville beat Michigan on CBS, delivered an average overnight household rating/share of 14.3/23, up 18% versus last year's 12.1/19, according to Nielsen.



The 2013 NCAA Championship game rating/share peaked at a 17.3/32 rating from 11:30-11:45 PM, ET.

Top five rated metered markets:

1. Louisville - 54.0/70

2. Detroit - 33.5/47

3. Columbus, Ohio - 26.4/40

4. Indianapolis - 25.1/39

5. Cincinnati - 24.7/38

[CTWarrior]

Accountant?  Or is Connecticut in the middle of an oil drilling boom?

SAP implementation

[MUMonster03]

They have been doing this for longer than you been around on this planet.

They have but it wasn't until the last 10 years or so that they have made the start time so late. I remember watching the One Shining Moment as a kid and I definitely wasn't up until after midnight.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'm sure you know more than TV execs who have been doing this for years.

It's funny, this afternoon we are having this very discussion about Friday night television and why it's so often.  Some big time folks from the industry involved.  Friday is a death sentence for television programming.

[GGGG]

It's funny, this afternoon we are having this very discussion about Friday night television and why it's so often.  Some big time folks from the industry involved.  Friday is a death sentence for television programming.

From my perspective.  Tired of working.  Don't want to make dinner.  Go out to eat.

We are usually in more on a Saturday than a Sunday.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

SAP implementation

To my fellow Nutmegger, I've also seen firsthand the agony of converting to SAP.  No a very friendly ERP system.